Belt & Disc Sander
Function:
To quickly sand wood.
Why we use it:
The belt & disc sanding machine is an excellent tool for quickly sanding wood and getting a project
into its final shape. Although it works quickly, it leaves sanding marks which must be removed with
smaller sanding equipment, and finally, hand sanding.
It works best on flat surfaces, though it has some limited ability to sand curves as well.
Safety Concerns:
-This machine has a large area of exposed sanding surface in order to quickly sand away as
much wood as possible. Because there is so much exposed surface, it could easily sand away
a large amount of flesh very quickly. You must be certain to never touch any moving
surface on this machine.
-You must always keep the object you are sanding firmly on the table in front of the
sanding surface. If you try to sand an object without having it on the table, it will likely
catch on the belt or disc, and get ripped out of your hands. When this happens, your hand or
fingers are likely to get knocked into the sanding surface, resulting in an unpleasant loss of
flesh.
-You should not sand anything with an irregular shape which will make it difficult for you
to hold it firmly on the sanding table.
-Do not attempt to sand off more than ½” of wood. If you need to remove more than this,
cut your object smaller on the band saw first..
-Keep your fingers at least 1" away from the abrasive surface. If you get them any
closer, you could easily slip in to the sanding surface and injure yourself.
-Do not force your object into the sanding surface. If you push too hard, you will burn
your wood, damage the sanding belt or disc, and if you slip, your hand will get pushed into
the sanding surface with the same great force you were applying to your object, resulting in
a severe injury.
-Only 1 person may use this machine at a time. If someone uses the disc sander
incorrectly, his object will likely fly off and hit the person using the belt sander.
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Safety Concerns (continued):
-When using the disc sander, you should hold the object you are sanding against the
side of the disc where the motion is downward. Since the discs on these machines spin in
a counter-clockwise direction, you will only use the left half of the disc. If you press your
object against the right side of the disc where the motion is upward, the disc will lift your
object off of the table, often with great force, throwing it.
-The distance between the sanding table and the abrasive surface should be ½”. If
there is more space than this, please notify the instructor. If there is a larger gap, it is
potentially more dangerous, as you could get a finger caught between the table and the
sanding surface.
-Never leave the machine while it is still in motion. Wait for it to stop completely before
leaving.
Additional Information:
-Many students tend to try and remove too much material on this machine. Doing so greatly
shortens the life of the belts and discs, which are quite expensive. Also, it never results in a
better finished project.
-Please be patient when using this machine. Applying gentle pressure and sanding slowly will
result in a much better finish that forceful sanding.
-Whenever possible, try to sand with the grain of your wood. Doing so will result in a better
finish, and will require much less finish sanding.
-When waiting to use this machine, do not crowd around it. Only one person is allowed to
use this machine at a time for safety reasons. Crowding around the machine is not allowed
for the same safety reasons.
-More people get injured with this machine than any other. Usually, the injury is not
severe, but still quite painful. A typical injury would be sanding a knuckle down, or sanding
down a fingertip. There will be a lot of blood and a lot of pain. Usually, the wound heals
leaving a scar, but usually fingers are not actually lost. Being patient is the best way to
avoid an injury.
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